Begin's Lebanon plan: all foreign troops out

ByAbraham Rabinovich, Special to The Christian Science MonitorJune 17, 1982

Jerusalem
— Prime Minister Menachem Begin will attempt to win United States support for a pullout of all foreign forces from Lebanon, when he meets President Reagan next week in Washington.

Sources in Jerusalem say Mr. Begin is expected to spell out Israel's vision of a new political order for Lebanon. The central feature is said to be the departure from Lebanon of Syrian, Israeli, and Palestine Liberation Organization forces.

Israel also wants US support for formation of a multinational force to police a 25-mile demilitarized zone that Israel wants to create north of its border to ensure that the PLO will not shell settlements. Israeli leaders have said they would like to see US troops in the proposed force, just as there are US troops in the in the Sinai.

The Israeli leadership has thus far been pleased with Washington's position on the Lebanese situation, particularly Secretary of State Haig's assertion last week that there can be no return to the previous status quo in Lebanon.